Tools and attachments therefor

ABSTRACT

Attachments for making impact wrenches and the like capable of threading a retainer onto a threaded fastener while holding the fastener against rotation.

United States Patent Donald R. Bosten Pittsburgh, Pa.

July 29, 1968 June 15, 1971 Rockwell Manufacturing Company Pittsburgh,Pa.

Inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee TOOLS AND ATTACHMENTSTHEREFOR 9 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 81/56 Int. Cl B25b 17/00 Field of Search 81/55, 56, 52.3, 52.4

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,323,395 6/1967 Burnett etal. r. 8 H523 2,882,773 4/1959 Wing 81/56 2,895,360 7/1959 Madsen8l/52.3 X 3,323,394 6/1967 Bangerter et al. 81/523 1,343,667 6/1920Evensen .1 81/56 Primary ExaminerJames L. Jones, Jr. Attorney- Strauch,Nolan, Neale, Nies & Kurz ABSTRACT: Attachments for making impactwrenches and the like capable of threading a retainer onto a threadedfastener while holding the fastener against rotation.

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PATENTED JUN} 5 19m sum 2 BF 2 E AT INVENTUH DONALD R. BOSTEN ATTORNEYSTOOLS AND ATTACHMENTS THEREFOR This invention relates to tools and, morespecifically, to novel, improved tools for threading a retainer onto afastener while holding the fastener against rotation.

In many instances it is necessary to fasten two members together in aconfined space or in other circumstances where a fastener and retainercan be reached from only one side of the assemblage of members beingjoined. There have been developed for such applications fasteners whichhave a socket in their shank end so that they can be held againstrotation from the side of the assemblage on which the retainer isthreaded onto the fastener. Accordingly, in circumstances of the typejust described, access to one side of the fastener is all that isrequired.

Power tools have heretofore been developed for installing or settingfasteners of the type just described. Typical of these is thebolt-holding wrench described in La Torre U.S. Pat. No. 2,955,496, whichincludes an axially movable, nonrotatable mandrel for holding a boltagainst rotation while a rotatable socket threads a retainer onto thefastener.

One of the disadvantages of the arrangement described in the patent justmentioned is that an entire separate tool is required to produce thedesired mode of operation. This may in many circumstances make the costof using fasteners of the type just described prohibitive.

Also, in many if not most instances, it is desirable to impart a rotaryimpact to the retainer as it is tightened to prevent the retainer fromloosening later. Tools such as those described in the patent mentionedabove have the disadvantage that there is no provision for supplyingsuch an impact.

It is one important and primary object of the present invention toprovide novel, improved tools for holding fasteners against rotationwhile threading fasteners thereon which do not have the disadvantages ofpreviously proposed tools of this character.

Another important and related object of the invention resides in theprovision of novel attachments for making power tools capable of holdingfasteners against rotation while threading fasteners thereon.

Yet another important and also related object of the invention is theprovision of novel tools of the type in question which are capable ofexerting rotary impacts on a retainer to insure that they are securelytightened.

Generally speaking, the present invention by which the foregoing andother objects are accomplished includes a casing attachable to an impactwrench or other power tool with a rotary output shaft. Housed in thecasing are an input gear with a central bore adapted to receive theoutput shaft of the tool and an output gear provided with an extensionto which a retainer rotating socket can be detachably fixed. Also housedin the casing is a nonrotatable, slidable member having a Philips orother tip adapted to be engaged in a correspondingly configured recessin the shank end of the fastener to restrain it against rotation whilethe retainer is threaded onto the fastener.

Because the fastener holding and retainer rotating mechanism isconstructed as an attachment, it is much less expensive and accordinglyhas a wider range of application than tools heretofore proposed forholding a fastener stationary while threading a nut on it. Also, asmentioned, the attachment may readily be utilized with an impact wrenchto insure that the retainer is securely tightened. Furthermore, withonly minor structural changes, the attachment may be modified to make itusable with any ofa wide variety of power tools.

Several important objects and features and significant advantages of thepresent invention have been discussed above. Other objects, furtherimportant features, and additional ad vantages of the invention willbecome apparent from the appended claims and as the ensuing detaileddescription and discussion proceeds in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a power tool equipped with a fastener holdingand retainer rotating attachment in accord with the principles of thepresent invention, part of the attachment housing being broken away toshow its internal components;

FIG. 2 is a pictorial view of the attachment;

FIG. 3 is a partial top view of the tool and attachment, showing themanner in which the attachment is connected to the tool;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the tool and attachment; and

FIG. 5 is a side view of an alternate embodiment of the invention.

Referring now to the drawing, FIG. 1 depicts a power tool 10 equippedwith a fastener-restraining and retainer-rotating attachment l2constructed in accord with the principles of the present invention andprovided with a handle 13 to facilitate manipulation of the tool.

The illustrated tool l0'is a Rockwell Model 625 Impact Wrench. It is tobe understood, however, that the use of this particular tool is notcritical but thatvirtually any type of power tool with a rotary outputshaft could be substituted for it.

With continued reference to FIG. 1, the exemplary power tool 10 justmentioned includes a casing 14 housing a motor 16, the operation ofwhich is controlled by an on-off switch 18 and a forward-reverse switch20. The output shaft 22 of motor 16 is connected to a gear reductiondrive 24, the details of which are not part of the present invention andwill accordingly not be described herein except in conjunction with thepresent invention.

Referring still to FIG. 1, the output member of gear reduction drive 24is a rotatably supported shaft 26 drive connected to a sleeve 28 byballs 30 (only one of which is shown), which are seated in grooves 32 inshaft 26 and in cooperating grooves (not shown) in sleeve 28. Thegenerally V-shaped configuration of grooves 32 permits relativelongitudinal movement between shaft 26 and sleeve 28, but prevents thesleeve from rotating with respect to the shaft.

Sleeve 28 is drive connected to an output shaft 34 rotatably supportedin and protruding from the forward end of casing 14 by teeth 36 on theforward end of sleeve 28 and cooperating teeth (not shown) on the rearportion of shaft 34.

The components just described constitute a conventional mechanism forimparting rotary impact to a work-performing component attached to shaft34. Specifically, in the presence of a restraining torque on shaft 34,sleeve 28 retracts (i.e., moves toward motor 16) against the bias of aspring 38 disposed between a spring support 40 fixed to shaft 26 and aspring seat 42 in the forward end of sleeve 28 with this movement beingaccommodated by the configuration of slots 32. The retraction continuesuntil the teeth 36 on sleeve 28 clear the cooperating teeth on shaft 34,which results in rotary motion of sleeve 28 relative to shaft 34. Thisrelative motion is then imparted to shaft 34 by the action of spring 38which biases sleeve 28 forwardly, causing its teeth 36 to engagesuccessive teeth on shaft 34. The result is a rotary impact on shaft 34.Successive rotary impacts follow until the restraint on the shaft isremoved or motor 16 is deenergized by releasing switch 18.

Referring now to FIGS. ll5, the rotary shaft 34 just described isemployed in accord with the principles of the present invention to drivethe rotary components of fastener holding and retainer rotatingattachment 12. The latter includes a casing 44 consisting of a frontsection 46 and a rear section 48 which are assembled to each other andto the easing 14 of tool 10 by cap screws 50. These screws extendthrough aligned apertures (not shown) in front and rear casing sections46 and 48 into drilled and tapped apertures (likewise not shown) incasing 14. Casing 44 is positioned relative to casing 14 by a boss 52 onthe latter, which extends into an aperture 54 in attachment casingsection 48, and the abutment of the rear edge 56 of casing section 48with a forwardly facing shoulder 58 on casing 14.

Referring now specifically to FIG. 1, the output shaft 34 of toolextends through the opening 54 in attachment casing rear section 48 andis rotatably supported in a bearing 60 mounted in a boss 62 inattachment casing forward section 46. Fixed to shaft 34 for rotationtherewith by flats 64 adjacent the forward end of shaft 34 andcooperating flats (not shown) in its central bore 66 and by a retainerring 68 is a spurtype input gear 70.

Also housed in casing 44 and meshed with input gear 70 is a spur-typeoutput gear 72. This gear is rotatably supported by bearings 74 and 76mounted in recesses 78 and 80 in housing sections 46 and 48,respectively.

As shown in FIG. 1, output gear 72 has an elongated hub extension 82which extends through an opening 84 in casing front section 46.Detachably fixed to hub extension 82 exteri orly of casing 44 is aretainer receiving socket 86. More specifically, the socket is fixed tothe gear hub extension by pins 88, which extend through apertures 90 inthe socket into grooves 92 in the hub extension and are retained inplace by a resilient ring 94.

Casing 44 also houses a driver bit 96 provided with a Philips or othertip 98 adapted to engage a correspondingly configured recess in thefastener onto which a retainer is to be threaded. As shown by FIGS. 1and 4, bit 96 will typically have a hexagonal cross-sectionalconfiguration and is slidably mounted in a cylindrical bit retainer 100having a similarly configured hexagonal bore 102 in the forward portionto restrain the bit from rotating, while being slidable in the retainer.The rearward portion 103 of the bore in retainer 100 is enlarged forease in changing bits, and to accommodate retaining ring 110. Thisallows bit 96 to slide forward axially in retainer 100 until retainingring 110 encounters hexagonal bore 102. This encounter prevents bit 96from falling out the forward end of the tool, when not engaging afastener.

Driver bit 96 is biased to the left as shown in FIG. 1 by a spring 108,which abuts the end of driver bit 96. The opposite end of the springabuts a washer 112 fixed in recess 106 by a retainer 114.

In order to change bits, retainer 114 is removed from the rear of theattachment, releasing washer 112 and spring 108. This clears the borefor the removal of driver bit 96 and its replacement.

To thread a retainer onto a fastener with tool 10, the retainer isinserted in the socket 116 in the forward end of socket member 86 orstarted on the fastener, and the tip 98 of driver bit 96 is engaged inthe shank end of the fastener. Switch 18 is then depressed to energizemotor 16, effecting a rotation of socket member 86 through a drive trainincluding motor output shaft 22, gear reduction drive 24, shaft 26,balls 30, sleeve 28, shaft 34, and gears 70 and 72. This threads theretainer onto the fastener, which is held against rotation by driver bit96. The threading of the retainer onto the fastener continues until theretainer is tightened. At this point, shaft 34 is restrained againstrotation by the retainer through socket member 86 and gears 72 and 70.This results in rotary impacts being transmitted to shaft 34 in themanner described above, and these are transmitted through gears 70 and72 and socket member 86 to the retainer to insure that it is securelytightened.

Many mechanical modifications may of course be made in the exemplarytool 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 without departing from the principles ofthe present invention. For example, in FIG. 1, attachment 12 is sooriented relative to tool 10 that the axis of rotation of socket member86 and driver bit 96 is above the axis of rotation of tool output shaft34. As shown in FIG. 5, the attachment 12 may equally well be soconnected to the tool that the first mentioned axis of rotation is belowthe axis of rotation of tool output shaft 34. Alternatively, theattachment may be so oriented with respect to the tool that this axis ofrotation lies to one side of the rotation axis of output shaft 34.

Another modification is the package" making up the attachment. In theillustration disclosed above, an ordinary impact wrench was adapted byadding an attachment without altering the wrench. The modification wouldadd to that package a replacement 15 for the portion of the housingenclosing the output end of the tool, along with a replacement anvil 34,already coupled internally of the attachment housing to gear 70. Thus,to adapt the impact wrench to this fastener service the operator needonly remove the bolts holding the output end 15 of the housing to thetool, remove this end and anvil 34, and replace this with the attachmentwhich would include a substitute output end 15 and a substitute anvil34, already assembled to the attachment. Replacing and tightening thebolts would complete the changeover.

Other mechanical modifications of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1will also readily occur to those skilled in the relevant arts.Accordingly, to the extent that these are not expressly excluded fromthe appended claims, they are fully intended to be covered therein.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presentembodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects asillustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention beingindicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoingdescription, and all changes which come within the meaning and range ofequivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What I claim and desire to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination: a rotary impact tool comprising a first casing, ashaft rotatably mounted in and protruding from said first casing, amotor in said first casing, means in said first casing for impartingrotary impacts to said rotatably mounted shaft having an output memberdrive connected to said shaft and an input member, and means driveconnecting said input member to said motor; an attachment for threadingretainers onto bolts and other fasteners while holding the fasteneragainst rotation which comprises a second casing having therethrough anaperture through which the rotatably mounted shaft of the rotary impacttool extends, a retainer rotating member, means in said second casingand drive connected to the rotatably mounted shaft of the rotary impacttool for rotating said retainer-rotating member, and means mounted insaid second housing for axial, nonrotatable movement and extendingtherefrom which is engageable with a fastener to prevent rotation ofsaid fastener; and means detachably connecting said second casing tosaid first casing.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein the retainer-rotating meansincludes a gear housed in said second casing and having a hub extensionextending to the exterior of said second casing and aretainer-engageable socket member detachably fixed to said hubextension.

3. The combination of claim 2, wherein the means for rotating theretainer-rotating member comprises a second gear in said second casingwhich is meshed with the first-mentioned gear, said second gear beingjournaled on the rotatably mounted shaft of the rotary impact tool andfixed to said shaft for rotation therewith.

4. The combination of claim 2, wherein the means for preventing rotationof the threaded fastener includes a sleevelike retainer fixed in andagainst rotation relative to said second casing and extending throughsaid hub extension, a driver bit having one end thereof configured tofit in an aperture in the shank end of a fastener to prevent rotation ofthe fastener, said driver bit being slidable in but nonrotatable withrespect to said sleevelike retainer, and resilient biasing means in saidretainer urging said driver bit in a fastener engaging direction.

5. In combination: a rotary impact tool comprising a first casing, ashaft rotatably mounted in and protruding from said first casing, amotor in said first casing, means in said first casing for impartingrotary impacts to said rotatably mounted shaft including an outputmember drive connected to said rotatably mounted shaft and an inputmember, and a reduction drive drive connecting said input member to saidmotor; an attachment for threading retainers onto bolts and otherfasteners while holding the fastener against rotation which comprises asecond casing having therethrough an aperture through which therotatably mounted shaft of the rotary impact tool extends, a first gearhoused in said second casing and having a hub extension extending to theexterior of said casing, a retainer engageable socket member detachablyfixed to said hub extension, means for rotating said first gearcomprising a second gear in said second casing meshing with said firstgear, said second gear being journaled on and drive connected to therotatably mounted shaft of the rotary impact tool, a sleevelike retainerin and fixed against rotation relative to said second casing andextending through said hub extension, a driver bit having one endthereof configured to fit in an aperture in the shank end of a fastenerto prevent rotation of the fastener, said driver bit being slidable inbut nonrotatable with respect to said sleevelike retainer, and resilientbiasing means in said retainer urging said driver bit in a fastenerengaging direction; and means detachably connecting said second casingto said first casing.

6. The combination of claim 5, together with means positioning saidattachment relative to said rotary impact tool which comprises a boss onsaid first casing configured to fit in the recess in the second casingthrough which the rotatably mounted shaft of the rotary impact toolextends.

7. An attachment adapted to be employed in conjunction with a toolhaving a rotatable driven shaft protruding therefrom, comprising acasing; a first gear having a noncircular central bore therethroughrotatably supported in said casing, there being an opening in saidcasing in alignment with said bore through which the tool shaft isadapted to be inserted to provide a drive connection to said first gear;a second gear in said casing in mesh with said first gear, said secondgear having an integral hub portion protruding through said casing tothe exterior thereof; a retainer receiving member detachably fixed tosaid hub portion exteriorly of said casing; and a fastener engagingmember slidably mounted in said casing and extending to the exteriorthereof through said second gear hub portion, said fastener engagingmember being restrained against rotation relative to the casing 8. Theattachment of claim 7, together with a sleevelike retainer member insaid casing and restrained against rotation relative thereto, saidretainer member having a noncircular bore therethrough and said fastenerengaging member having a cross-sectional configuration matching that ofsaid bore and being slidably disposed in said bore.

9. The attachment of claim 8, together with a spring member disposed insaid retainer member and urging said fastener engaging member in afastener engaging direction.

1. In combination: a rotary impact tool comprising a first casing, ashaft rotatably mounted in and protruding from said first casing, amotor in said first casing, means in said first casing for impartingrotary impacts to said rotatably mounted shaft having an output memberdrive connected to said shaft and an input member, and means driveconnecting said input member to said motor; an attachment for threadingretainers onto bolts and other fasteners while holding the fasteneragainst rotation which comprises a second casing having therethrough anaperture through which the rotatably mounted shaft of the rotary impacttool extends, a retainer rotating member, means in said second casingand drive connected to the rotatably mounted shaft of the rotary impacttool for rotating said retainer-rotating member, and means mounted insaid second housing for axial, nonrotatable movement and extendingtherefrom which is engageable with a fastener to prevent rotation ofsaid fastener; and means detachably connecting said second casing tosaid first casing.
 2. The combination of claim 1, wherein theretainer-rotating means includes a gear housed in said second casing andhaving a hub extension extending to the exterior of said second casingand a retainer-engageable socket member detachably fixed to said hubextension.
 3. The combination of claim 2, wherein the means for rotatingthe retainer-rotating member comprises a second gear in said secondcasing which is meshed with the first-mentioned gear, said second gearbeing journaled on the rotatably mounted shaft of the rotary impact tooland fixed to said shaft for rotation therewith.
 4. The combination ofclaim 2, wherein the means for preventing rotation of the threadedfastener includes a sleevelike retainer fixed in and against rotationrelative to said second casing and extending through said hub extension,a driver bit having one end thereof configured to fit in an aperture inthe shank end of a fastener to prevent rotation of the fastener, saiddriver bit being slidable in but nonrotatable with respect to saidsleevelike retainer, and resilient biasing means in said retainer urgingsaid driver bit in a fastener engaging direction.
 5. In combination: arotary impact tool comprising a first casing, a shaft rotatably mountedin and protruding from said first casing, a motor in said first casing,means in said first casing for imparting rotary impacts to saidrotatably mounted shaft including an output member drive connected tosaid rotatably mounted shaft and an input member, and a reduction drivedrive connecting said input member to said motor; an attachment forthreading retainers onto bolts and other fasteners while holding thefastener against rotation which comprises a second casing havingtherethrough an aperture through which the rotatably mounted shaft ofthe rotary impact tool extends, a first gear housed in said secondcasing and having a hub extension extending to the exterior of saidcasing, a retainer engageable socket member detachably fixed to said hubextension, means for rotating said first gear comprising a second gearin said second casing meshing with said first gear, said second gearbeing journaled on and drive connected to the rotatably mounted shaft ofthe rotary impact tool, a sleevelike retainer in and fixed againstrotation relative to said second casing and extending through said hubextension, a driver bit having one end thereof configured to fit in anaperture in the shank end of a fastener to prevent rotation of thefastener, said driver bit being slidable in but nonrotatable withrespect to said sleevelike retainer, and resilient biasing means in saidretainer urging said driver bit in a fastener engaging direction; andmeans detachably connecting said second casing to said first casing. 6.The combination of claim 5, together with means positioning saidattachment relative to said rotary impact tool which comprises a boss onsaid first casing configured to fit in the recess in the second casingthrough which the rotatably mounted shaft of the rotary impact toolextends.
 7. An attachment adapted to be employed in conjunction with atool having a rotatable driven shaft protruding therefrom, comprising acasing; a first gear having a noncircular central bore therethroughrotatably supported in said casing, there being an opening in saidcasing in alignment with said bore through which the tool shaft isadapted to be inserted to provide a drive connection to said first gear;a second gear in said casing in mesh with said first gear, said secondgear having an integral hub portion protruding through said casing tothe exterior thereof; a retainer receiving member detachably fixed tosaid hub portion exteriorly of said casing; and a fastener engagingmember slidably mounted in said casing and extending to the exteriorthereof through said second gear hub portion, said fastener engagingmember being restrained against rotation relative to the casing.
 8. Theattachment of claim 7, together with a sleevelike retainer member insaid casing and restrained against rotation relative thereto, saidretainer member having a noncircular bore therethrough and said fastenerengaging member having a cross-sectional configuration matching that ofsaid bore and being slidably disposed in said bore.
 9. The attachment ofclaim 8, together with a spring member disposed in said retainer memberand urging said fastener engaging member in a fastener engagingdirection.